Asthma

Wheeze,

Im back on Friday,

Im averaging 450 normally (still not good I know)

The 230 one was immediattly after exercise, and thats what it is always like.

Im gonna try one more run before friday just to get another reading.

Then...

I'm guessing I should perhaps not try to run for a while. Rather than run through it.

Im a tad bit worried/scared about this now.



Jamie

You are going about things the right way. I wouldn't be too worried about stopping running I was running for about 6 years before I was diagnosed with it. Provided you recover in a reasonable time following a run there should be few issues. The biggest problem is that your performance will be affected by it both in training and racing

At the moment is getting to the point where it is pretty unpleasant to try to struggle through it. The reliever inhaler just does'nt pull me through it. Then the oxygen does not get to the legs and I get a headache.

Bit of a bumer really. Im probably gonna have to return my number for the three peaks. I just have not got the long runs in, I was bang on form before christmas as well.

Ill probably just get myself right and then train up again for a summer race like borrowdale.

noton - having peak flows like that must be awful. I'm usually 650ish (640 is my target) when I'm under control (becotide & serevent) but when I've got a chest infection it gets down to 500ish (doubling the becotide dose usually doesn't do much).

Steroid tablets (5 days of prednisolone) usually sorts it out if it doesn't go back up after the infection's cleared. Running's tough at 500 for me so being down as low as you are must be hard.

I've never had a 250 - according to my asthma plan less than 330 is an A&E job! Be careful when you're down that low m8.

Maybe it's worth changing your steroid inhaler? I've heard postive things about symbicort (someone else mentioned it previously). Worth discussing the next time you're in.

Hope you get it sorted m8.

Cheers,

Derek.

Thanks for that reply Derek,

Perhaps I should not be running at the mo, when I took that reading of 230. That was how I always feel after runs lately.

I have been running for 4 years in total. Mainly trouble free, if it has usaully kicked off its only been for a week or two and the inhaler usually gets me through.

Im hoping the key lies in a chest infection that I may not have shook off and thats triggering my asthma or making me sensitive. I've had a chest x ray waiting for results.

Im guessing 230 is very low, i did not realise it was an A & E job for some people.

Thanks
Jamie

jamie

just been back reading this thread - i don't know much about asthma? But hopefully you will find the key to it and it starts improving soon!!

Hope you are on the mend soon!!

Take it easy!!

I know its no consolation but ive been down with a virus since the lakes, have missed three races headaches bad chest etc etc. I,ve had to stop running the few times that ive tried http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/images/icons/icon9.gif!!

Martin

Hi Jamie,

Glad to hear you're normally well controlled. From what you're saying it sounds like you may well have had a chest infection and your lungs are still swollen from it. As I mentioned previously, this happens to me now and again (last time was two weeks ago!) and the only way to get my lungs working OK again (and my PF up) is prednisolone. I don't like taking steroids like that but it's preferable to coughing and wheezing all the time.

My PF does drop a wee bit after a run but yours is a big one. It may be that you have a number of factors going (allergy, exercise induced, infection etc). I would suggest that if you get that low again then stop running for a few days! If you're as low as 250 you have to remember than you've not got much breathing space (pun intended! :)) and if it goes a just a wee bit further downhill then you're may be in big trouble.

BTW - ask for an asthma plan the next time you're in - it's a leaflet from asthma.org.uk that the nurse fills in. At least if you go below a certain figure you have an idea of what to do.

Hope it's a bit better today at leat! :)

Cheers,

Derek.

Hi Deeko,

Im hoiping it is a chest infection I really am. I did mention that to the Asthma nurse 2 weeks ago and to the doctor about 2months ago. They refused to give me anti-biotics. If that is the case and they give me something to get myself right this week. Then they could quite easily have had me fixed up 2 months ago. They always seem quite keen just to tell you to stop running for a bit, and just pop you on some inhalers.

I'll ask for an action plan on Friday and keep noting my figures.

A guy at my club has had a similar thing this winter. He is a much stronger runner than I am, with no history of Asthma. They have eventually put him on some steroid tablets and it has cleared up. His seemed to be a lot worse than mine. He was struggling to get up the stairs and it was affecting his day to day life, his PF's where down in the 200s

Cheers
Jamie

Jamie,

Simple rule of thumb - green/yellow phlegm = chest infection. White gunk is normal asthma stuff and there's usually no infection.

You should get antibiotics if you have coloured phelgm. My doc gives me them almost immediately if that's the case (I had a patch of pneumonia once! Not keen to repeat that experience...).

If you've no infection then I would demand a course of steroid tabs to try and get your PF back up. It's not good for your long term lung health to have a low PF. I'm no expert but you may end up with scarring and that could lead to COPD which is not good.

I have to admit my doctor is superb regarding my asthma and running. If yours doesn't understand then change your doc until you get one that does.

If you need independent advice go to http://www.asthma.org.uk/ - also phone them on 08457 01 02 03 - you'll get to speak to a asthma nurse and they give great advice.

Cheers,

Derek.

Derek,

Ill see how my visit to the nurse goes on Friday. In all fairness to my doctor he sent me for a chest x ray as soon as I asked for one, but that was after 2 months of feeling crappy.

Just found out a guy at work has come down with Pneumonia, he has been coughing really badly for while.

Theres loads of stuff like this about at the minute.

Cheers
Jamie